The present invention is related in general to a bicycle or a multicycle powered by pedals, by a motor or a combination of the two power sources. Specifically, it is related to a total gear rotary drive system coupled to a front wheel of a bicycle or multicycle.
A conventional bicycle has a rear wheel chain drive mechanism which is complex and unstable and riders experience frequent derailing problems. Also, and more importantly, the rear wheel drive system contributes to unstable steering and difficulty in controlling the bicycle as riders go up hill or turn into sharp curves particularly on rough terrain, such as grass, gravel, sand, mud, water, or snow, since pushing a front wheel on such road conditions is less efficient than pulling or driving itself.
The prior devices for front wheel drive bicycles have all used chain mechanisms attached to the front handle bars and are operated by one or both hands (Cheng et al. of U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,151, Ehrbar of U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,359 and Phillips of U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,662). These devices appear to be inefficient, unstable, and even dangerous.
The other prior device (Chalfant of U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,689) uses a rocking mechanism built on the front handle bar which connects to the front wheel by a chain. It also appears to be an unstable and inefficient bicycle to operate.